The head of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology National Capital Region Office allegedly instructed jail guards at the Quezon City Jail to refrain from speaking publicly about issues involving the facility’s warden, according to sources who spoke to the Daily Tribune.
BJMP-NCRO chief Noel Baby Montalvo reportedly convened a command conference Wednesday afternoon with jail personnel assigned at the Payatas facility.
Instead of focusing on allegations that detained former senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. was receiving preferential treatment, sources said guards were told to “go slow” on Quezon City Jail Warden Maria Lourdes Pacion.
“Pinatatahimik na kami at huwag na daw makipag-usap sa media. Hindi naman puwede iyon. May nakikita kaming kamaliang nangyayari dito sa loob ng piitan. Di kami pwedeng magbulag-bulagan,” one jail guard said.
The guard claimed Revilla had allegedly been given special privileges, including staying in an air-conditioned room separate from regular detention cells.
Sources also said Montalvo and Pacion were attempting to determine who leaked information about the alleged arrangements to the media.
According to insiders, Revilla is officially listed in the jail’s “carpeta,” which records the assigned cell numbers of inmates.
“He is listed in the carpeta,” a source said, but claimed the former senator does not actually stay in that cell.
“When no one is watching, he stays in air-conditioned quarters designated and designed by Pacion,” the source alleged.
Sources also accused the warden of deviating from standard BJMP detention protocols for high-profile inmates.
They further alleged that the facility’s mess hall had been replaced with a canteen reportedly managed by a retired jail officer, requiring jail guards to purchase meals instead of receiving them through the regular mess system.
In response to the allegations, Jonvic Remulla, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said he would look into the claims.
“I will check it out. I haven’t been to Payatas since I showed it to the press two months ago. I will make sure everything is set right,” Remulla said.